The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1887-05-05
TEACH YOUR son A TRADE

TEACH YOUR SON A TRADE.
The main trouble of society at pres
ent lies not, as people imagine, with
the working men, bat with those that
do not want to work, whether among
the capitalists or the laboring class
There are altogether too many people
in both the business office and the
work shop who want to reap without
having sown, who are determined to
acquire money at all hazards, by le-
ultimate means if they find them, and
if not, then by illegitimate ones. Our
age of steam and electricity has rob-
bed us of one precious virtue, without
which man will never become con-
tented and happy, and that is patience.
This feverish restlessness of ours urges
everybody along to risk all he owns,
even the honor which is beyond the
possibility Of repair, for the sake of
making money over night. And this
foul air infects the young, the son of
the artisan and farmer as we'll as that
of the wealthy merchant. Speculation,
instead of thrifty labor, is considered
the only road to fortune; hence the
daily increase of defalcation, of breach
of trust, and all sorts OF false Dealings
There is only one golden road to
happiness and prosperity-it is pa
tient, persevering labor. Mother earth
yields her rich produce only to those
who have deserved it by the ennobling
sweat of untiring labor. She shows
neither favors nor predictions to any
Labor alone, whether agricultural or
manual, offers true satisfaction. Its
reward lasts. Fortunes that are quickly
gained are too often also quickly lost
A good, diligent workman is never at
a loss about his future. He is safe
anywhere and at all times. 1t is
wrong and imprudent of a father to
put all his boys, if he has many, into
business, without having them first
taught some handicraft or profession.
One OF them is almost sure to become
shipwrecked in the great struggle for
existence, and if all succeed it is by
adventure rather than by wise fore
sight. We must, even in the estimate
of the wealthy, have industrial labor
raised in value and capital lessened.
There are more young American
men in the penitentiaries in this coun-
try learning trades than there are out
side Of them. The principal cause of
this is that we are educating young
men for ScntltMen-trying to make
lawyers, preachers, doctors and clerks
out of material that nature intended
for blaCksmiths, carpenters, sailors and
other honest "hewers Of wood and
drawers Of water" 1t is Il mistake
and big one too, to make the boys
(and girls too) believe that to labor is
dis3raCeful, and to do nothing for a
living is more becoming the society in
which they expect to move and have
respect. Hang such society! 1t is
rotten to the core to-day, and there are
many mems sons and daughters who
are now being educated too play the
part of ''leading lady" and 'walking
gentleman in the great drama of life,
who will light out for poor house or
a penitentiary before they have played
their parts and the curtain drops.
Young man! get thee to tannery,
to atinshop, to chicken rancho. You
can soon become your own boss, in
dependent and commander of your
own little kingdom, if you are prudent
and economical, but never wear out
your young years, behind either coun-
ter or desk and spend your salaries for
having your hair parted in the middle
in the hope of catching the heiress who
prefers her fathers coachman. Bows.
you can always become clerks and pot
house politicians; everybody can sell
dry goods and clothing, or act as
clerk in the mint, custom house or
postoffice, but every one can't earn
living like good mechanic if he is
thrown out of office.